Drought conditions affecting boat access at many area lakes

As Big Country lake water levels continue to drop in the extended drought conditions we’ve had, many area lake boat ramps have become unusable. The question is “what do you do to extend the ramp further into the lake?”

Three or four years ago at Lake Brady, a dike was built off the end of their main launch ramp. The dike was made from large anchored air bags; water was pumped out and concrete was poured on the newly exposed land surface to create an extended ramp off the end of the old one.

Hubbard Creek Lake faced a similar need this spring because the lake was down to one usable ramp at the dam with water barely covering the very end of the ramp.

Sandy Creek Marina’s Johnny Stoker and the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce used a different and simpler method. They poured a new $20,000 concrete ramp 24 feet by 265 feet adjacent to the old ramp at the dam. Many area bass clubs and individuals contributed to the cost of the new ramp.

The new ramp was poured in three sections. The bottom section, which was 24 feet by 40 feet, was pushed out into the lake by bulldozers. The middle and last section was then poured to connect the upper and bottom sections, creating a new ramp.

The new ramp is now open, but poles mark three large rocks adjacent to the concrete slab that were dislodged when the slab was forced into the lake. Plans have been made to remove the large rocks the week after Easter.

Some Big Country lake ramps are still very usable and not critical at this point, but others are quickly approaching a critical boat access problem just as Hubbard Creek Lake faced.

Here is some information on boat access at 11 additional area lakes.

Lake O.H. Ivie — Lake Ivie received 16 feet of new water last fall, and presently all ramps are open for boat launch.

Oak Creek Lake — Live Oak Lodge reports boats are still being launched from their ramp, but one has to be very careful in the launch. New concrete was poured at Sportsman’s Lodge ramp but the word is to make sure the tow vehicle tires stay on the concrete ramp.

Stamford Lake — Anchor Marina reports it has one ramp open, and Stamford Marina ramp is open to bass boat size and smaller boats. A word of caution is to use the south end side of the ramp in launching at the Stamford Marina ramp.

Possum Kingdom — Two ramps are open: North and South D&D ramps. The lake is 10½ feet low so pay attention to channel buoy markers. Some trees adjacent to the creek channels are just under the surface of the water.

Brownwood Lake — The ramp at the dam and Kirkland’s ramp are open. Both ramps at Brownwood State Park are open. The state park north ramp will be usable for about another month unless the lake receives additional rains, but the south ramp has a good seven feet of water covering the concrete and will be good for a long time.

Fort Phantom Lake — Both the Main Ramp and the Johnson Park ramp are usable. It is easier to launch at the Main Ramp but the boat dock has been moved over to the Johnson Park ramp. The Johnson Park ramp flattens out and both the boat trailer and tow vehicle have to be backed into the water in order to launch most boats.

Lake Sweetwater — The ramp is still open at the dam.

Lake Cisco — One ramp is open but it flattens out and both boat trailer and tow vehicle have to be backed into the water in order to launch most boats.

Lake Leon — Chock a Block ramp at the bridge is open and very usable but the downside is navigating through the forest of stumps and trees, many of which are just under the surface of the water, to reach the upper lake.

Lake Coleman — No paved ramps are open for boat launch. Some boats are being launched from improvised gravel ramps on the lake.